Explosive and process of its manufacture



Patented 30,. 1924..

WEI-EH31 M. BEEN, OFSEATTLE, WASENGTQN.

MPLOSIVE AND PROCESS OF ITS MANUFACTURE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, WILLIAM M. Dunn,

sawdust or other plant tissues which has been impregnated with ammonium nitrate, a new explosive composition is obtalned fill that possesses the two useful qualities of low cost and 'efiective blasting power. In other words, my invention is a composition of sodium nitrate, sawdust and ammonium nitrate; the sodium nitrate being dis- 35 tributed throughout the mass of ammonium nitrate which itself is present substantially plant tissue used. I have found that such distribution of materials in the composition W is productive of an explosive which can advantageously be appled topertainikinds of blasting.

I have made ex eri'mnts in impregnating comminuted p ant-tissues with sodium nitrate, similar to the experiments of impregnating plant tissues with ammonium nitrate, as set forth in my prior process. Though the compositions thus obtained possess the properties of sensitiveness of comm bustion and of potential power favorable for explosive use, they lack certainty of detonation, that is, the impregnated masses will burn without exploding", except when powerfully confined and detonated. It was observed that the sodium nitrate tendedto melt and segregate in large masses, the explosive wave fell of? rapidly, and. the main charge usually continued merely to hurn. However, when the finely divided, sodium nitrate was properly incorporated with a sufiicient quantity of a plant tissue impregnated with ammonium nitrate, the physical condition of minute separation thus secured in the com-position prevented the 55 deterrent efiect's otjmelting and segregatintercellularly in respect to the 0 Application filed September 16, 1922. Serial No. 588,70t.

ing of the sodium nitrate and the whole composition was completely detonated by the usual blast-caps. The ammonium nitrate being distributed minutely and intimately, and during explosion yielding only gaseous products, serves as a leavening and vitalizing agent for the remainder of the composition.

It was found that the percentage of ammonium nitrate can'be as low as of the entire composition, but. its best limits are above In order to determine the favorable exe. plosive limits of concentration of sodium nitrate with sawdust, the data of the following table'were'obtained. One gram charges of the explosives, prepared from fir sawdust yielded the respective ams of sand crushed in the explosion bom Per cent Per cent of NaNO; Mesh Sand NaNOls Send 05 100-200 50. 0 is 34 Impregnated average. 41. 8 39 -110200 39.5 65 50 Non-impreg. average. 31. 0 46 Black gun P- 20-30 20. 0 i 41 Superfine F 100-200 44. 0 32 It is observed in A that sawdustimpreg nated with sodium nitrate is SilPGIlOI' to nonimpregnated sawdust B and is also superior, potentially, to the best black gunpowdersfi. The most favorable concentration of sodium nitrate is 65%, as is shown in D, and this value lies about midway between the compositions necessa to yield CO and C0,, in accordance with t e, chemical equations:

GuH On-HQNaNOQQ T CMHMO5+24NBNO8A 30UO+25He0+6ku+6Nag0 (65.7% nitrate) aooowzamouzrwmmoqrm nitrate) Now, since the above data demonstrate ponent for mixture of sodium nitrate and cellulose, whether the latter are impregnated or not.

I have found that impregnation by water solutions can be applied to plant tissues, armmonium nitrate and sodium nitrate in three ways so as to secure superior explosive properties over compositions of these same materials held in simple mingled mixtures. I can impregnate the ammonium nitrate in a mass of plant tissues sufiicient as the combustihle for looth of the nitrates and can finally add the powdered sodium nitrate. I can impregnate separate portions of the plant tissues with the respective nitrates. I can impregnate simultaneously the entire mass of plant tissue with a solution of the two nitrates. The first of these three methods, impregnating the plant tissue with ammonium nitrate only, was found by experiment to be safer and more economical, since a smaller volume of water for impregnating is required and the hazards of spontaneous imfi'amma'bili'ty with carbonaceous compositions of sodium nitrate are avoided.

Since my invention substantially comprises the process of sensitizing, within fa vorable explosive limits, finely divided sodium nitrate through the use of comminuted plant tissues impregnated -with ammonium nitrate, it is clear that all three ways are within the scope of my claims, though I may prefer tones the first mentioned. When the first procedure is followed, suidicient plant tissues to supply the combustion requirements of both nitrates must be employed. For examples, the table:

illustrates various percentages of the materials calculated to yield as explosion gases,

respectively CO, and equimolecular quantities of CG and 6%,. These mixtures represent varied costs of explosives resulting therefrom and also varied explosive properties, such as sensitiveness, power, densities, rates and certainty of detonation. Practicaioly, therefore, I use for my explosive 1.5 to t parts of sawdust impregnated with 3 to 7 parts of ammonium nitrate and mixed with l to st parts of powdered sodium nitrate. I

The rates of detonation of explosive can he yariedhy increasing; the percentages of diuin nitrate, so that such rates range all the way down from that oii'the prior composition, containing only plant tissue and ammonium nitrate, to ineffective non-. detonating compositions containing a preponderating percentage of sodium nitrate.

two nitrates.

- incense forward throughout the mass and suhstan- 1 tially the full disruptive power can be obtained.

I claim:

1. The process of manufacturing an explosive composition of plant tissue, am-

monium nitrate and'an alkalimetal nitrate, which comprises distributing the alkali metal nitrate in minute and intimate contact with suificient plant tissue impregnated with ammonium nitrate. I

2. The process of manufacturing an explosive composition of wood meal, ammonium nitrate and an alkali metal nitrate, which comprises distributing the alkali metal nitrate in minute and intimate contact with suiiicient wood meal impregnated with ammonium nitrate. 3. The process of manufacturing an explosive composition of plant tissue, ammonium nitrate and sodium. nitrate, which comprises distributing the sodium nitrate in minute and intimate contact with sufficient plant tissue impregnated with ammonium nitrate.

4. The process of manufacturing an. explosive composition of wood meal, ammonium nitrate sodium nitrate, which comprises distributing the sodium nitrate in minute and intmate contact with suficient wood meal impregnated with ammonium nitrate.

5. The process of manufacturing an enplosive composition of plant tissue ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate, which comprises distrihuting powder-ed sodium nitrate throughout mass of finely divided plant tissue impregnated with ammonium nitrate, the mass of plant tissue being suilicient to supply the cornhustion requirements of the an QX- 6. The process of manufacturinfl plosive composition of wood meal: ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate, which comprises distributing powdered sodium nitrate throughout the mass oi? wood meal impregnated with ammonium nitrate, mass of wood meal being suiiicient for looth nil trates.

'i. The process of sensitizing the explosive properties of mixtures plant tissue and sodium nitrate which comprises bringing powdered. sodium nitrate into minute and intimate contact with a quantity oi? comminu-ted plant tissue impregnated am ill) ill)

moaeae monia nitrate, the quantity of said plant tissue being suflicient for the combustion requirements, not only for the ammonium nitrate but also for the sodium nitrate.

8. The process of sensitizing the explosive properties of mixtures of wood meal and sodium nitrate which comprises bringing powdered sodium nitrate into minute and intimate contact with a quantity of wood meal impregnated with ammonium nitrate, the quantity of said wood meal being sufiicient for the combustion requirements not only for the ammonium nitrate but also for the sodium nitrate.

9. The process of manufacturing an explosive composition which comprises the intimate intermingling of 1-4 parts of powdered sodium nitrate with 1.5-6 parts of comminuted plant tissue impregnated with 3-7 parts of ammonium nitrate.

10. The process of manufacturing anexexplosive composition which comprises the intimate intermingling of 1-4 parts of powdered sodium nitrate with 1.5-6 parts of wood meal impregnated with 3-7 parts of ammonium nitrate.

11. The explosive comprising 1-4: parts of powdered sodium nitrate mechanically mixed with 1.5-6 parts of comminuted plant tissue impregnated with 3-7 parts of ammonium nitrate.

12. The explosive comprising 1-4 parts of powdered sodium nitrate mechanically mixed with 1.5-6 parts of wood meal impregnated with 3-7 parts of ammonium nitrate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereto set my hand, .this day of August, 1922.

WILLIAM M. DEHN. 

